Good morning, good evening, wherever you may be. It is nearing 4:00 a.m. in "The City." Our current temperature of 57°, corresponds with the overnight low forecast for today. As for the predicted precipitation, as I noted in my previous blog, like most of the forecasts for our area, the rain never came to pass. While it rained on the other side of the "Big Lake", it never rained here. That means that I'll have to water today. Sugar was elated by that lack of storms.

Speaking of Sugar the Weather Dog, she and Mary walked over to the local garden center/dog supply store, to pick up a fresh supply of biscuit treats. Apparently, with the exception of Sugar being still full of energy as they approached home on their return trip, everything went well. I was at my P/T appointment, so they had to go on their own.

When I got home, I took time to mow the back forty of the palatial estate and pull some weeds that I missed the other day. I rode my bike to my appointment, and I wish that I could say that my baking yak felt great now. Last evening I spent too many minutes on Washington Ave., listening to the the band at Coast Guard Festival™ Street Dance. The band, The Gents, was formed 40 years ago at the Coast Guard Academy when it's member were there together. Don't forget to visit Mary's blog at http://marygoeswalking.blogspot.com/ for those pictures I mentioned in a recent blog.

Once The Gents graduated from the academy, they followed their orders, pursued their separate career paths, and drifted apart. It seems that at a reunion a few years ago, they decided to reconnect and reform the band. In spite of each member living in disparate areas of the U.S., they found time to rehearse and make music once again. They were a great addition to this year's festival and had everyone dancing in the street. What a great idea by the festival organizers. What a great band of retired "Coasties."

Other than mowing the lawns, I didn't do much yesterday. I touched the girls, but didn't really have time to play. Mary had a plan to go to the cook's supply store in Muskegon for a new vegetable peeler around 4:00 p.m. She also picked up a new lettuce storage bowl while we were there. While in North Muskegon, we spotted a sign near the exit ramp that a pub was at that exit. After we left the kitchen store, we decided to search for that pub. We missed it on our eastward trip and thought it had gone out of business.

As we traveled west to get back on Rte. 31, we noticed a small sign below the sign for a larger store. We still didn't see the pub until I looked down a side road and saw a small sign and the pub itself hidden in the woods. We stopped in, had our dinner, and then headed home. We may have to return to that kitchen store again. This was truly a case of a place being invisible to those who didn't know it was there.

In sports, the boys in blue were on TV when I got home from the Street Dance. The game was in the top of the sixth inning tied at three all when I tuned in. The outcome was ultimately decided in the bottom of the 16th, 4 - 3 in favor of the boys over the Rockies. I went to bed when the game went into extra innings. My beloved Red Sox fell 2 - 4 to the Blue Jays. I read an article that they have given up hope for this year and are ready to trade and restock players for "Next Year." That means that last year's championship season will be surrounded by two losing seasons. The Tigers too seem to be struggling. As the manager and the team as a whole struggle to find the answer, they are still in first place in their division. They need to find that answer soon. The Caps defeated the Lake County, OH Captains, 7 - 2.

I was up late enough watching the boys and I heard the southbound train pass through. I didn't get out of my chair to look, although it felt like a long heavy train. The northbound run is just passing now at 3:50 a.m. The regular pair of locomotives towing six covered hopper cars, three of those dreaded black tank cars, one lone box car and a single white tank car bringing up the rear. .

Once the sun rises at 6:31 this morning, I plan to stay in bed for a while. I've no need to get up until it is time to go to the weekly farmer;s market. Mary needs to get some eggs from one of the vendors for some deviled eggs she is planning to make for the parade party at the barber shop. Other than that, we have no needs at the market. It will allow Sugar the get her morning walk in while we gather some needed supplies.

That's about it for today. I need to do my exercises for by yak and then do some reading. The sun will set at 9:08 p.m. I'd like to get in some time with the girls if possible.

Speaking of the girls, I am toying with getting them a roommate. I need to find a way to justify that idea. Maybe I'll walk around the corner to the local guitar store just to see what he has. Just looking mind you. Ciao.